Lubricated valve



Sept. 5, 1939. F. MILLIKEN LUBRICATED VALVE Filed Feb. 29, 1936 w u l ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 5,' 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

- This invention relates to an improvement for use in connection with lubricated valves. One of the problems in lubricated .valves is the danger that in operation an undue lubricant 5 pressure will be built up within the valve. This may cause the exudation of lubricant into the line, thereby affecting the fluid which is passing through the line or in some instances it may even exert an undue pressure on the valve bodyI 1o bending or. cracking the same.

This 'difliculty may in part be overcome by providing a shoulder at the top of the plug which bears against a corresponding shoulder on the body and providing a. spring at the bottom of the i5 plug to hold these two shoulders in contact. In such case if the lubricant is introduced at the top-oi the plug adjacent such shoulders and then is distributed from such point down over the face of the plug,- an undue pressure of lubricant 20 will' tend to compress the bottom spring and allow the two top shoulders to separate and thereby permit lubricant to escape around the stem of the valve. This construction has many merits, and usually will serve to prevent actual 25 breakage of the valve casing; however, I have found that it will not serve under all circumstances to eliminate the difllculty of having the lubricant forced across the face of the plug and into'theline My, invention relatesyto the application of an automatic device .to' a valve. for preventing the building up of lubricant pressure in the valve beyond a predetermined pressure and which is used with a check valve to hold the predeter- 35 mined pressure beyond the point where the check valve is applied. This I have termed'balancedpredetermined lubricant pressure with sight feed. so that when the device is used where a predetermined pressure has been decided on, then the operator is powerless to build up a pressure greater than the predetermined pressure beyond the check valve. 11' the operator. exerts too great a pressure on the lubricant it will be forced from the lubricant receptacle to the exterior of 45 the lubricant receptacle and show that too great a pressure has been applied. My invention can be used in connection with any of the numerous forms of forced lubricant pressure such as for example, bearings (automobiles, machinery, etc.) 50 ordinary lubricated plug cocks. gate valves, plug type lubricated valves. etc.

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As a basis for the particular features present inventlonI supply the usual lubricant receptacle .in which the luliricantis in- 'serted and from which the lubricant is forced preferably through a check valve in a restricted opening into the lubricant ducts of the valve. The check-valve is provided between the lubricant receptacle and the lubricant ducts of the valve so as to prevent back pressure on the lubriu cant in the lubricant receptacle. The check valve permits passage of the lubricantin one direction but prevents any line pressure or surges in line pressure from forcing lubricant from the lubricant ducts back into the lubricant receptacle l and then out of the lubricant receptacle.

According to my invention it is impossible to build up an undue pressure in this primary lubricant receptacle. By limiting the pressure at this point, it is obvious that no undue pressure can 1 be built up beyond the passage connecting the lubricant receptacle with the valve ducts.

One manner in which the pressure may be released from the lubricant receptacle is to provide a check-valve in the pressure screw which is controlled by a spring stifi enough to permit the desired pressure, to be built up in the lubricant receptacle but flexible enough so that it will open if an undue pressure is built up at this point. Such a device permits of ready adjustability as it is a simple matter to tighten such a spring or change the spring. However, I have found that approximately similar results can be attained by permitting the lubricant to work back alon the threads of the pressure screw an appropriate distaiice and then emerge into an opening which ordinarily will be'formed in the face of the pres sure screw. The degree of pressure that can be built up in the chamber will depend upon the clearance between the threads of the screw and the cooperating threads surrounding the screw. as well as the distance along :these threads which the lubricant must travel. In practice I have round that eflicient results can be attained bycuttingachaseorchasesinthesidesofthe 40 pressure screw and that the pressure to be built up in the lubricant receptacle can be varied by varying the distance between the end of the presscrew and the end of such chase.

This invention is preferably used with the form of valve previously referred to in which an imdue pressure will permit the valve plug to move downwardly so that an opening is made around the stem, but this is not essential and my invenflonmaybeusiedwithmanytypesofvalvesin- My eluding the older types where head pachng is required, or where lubricant is forced in at the bottom of the valve.

As regards the general construction of the valve, several modifications may be made with- Til out in any way departing from the spirit of the invention; for example. the valve may be made with the plug inserted from the top with the seating surface made on a separable part of the casing, or if preferred (and this is generally found to. be the better practice) the seating surface may be made integral with the casing and provision made for removing the plug from the bottom. In like manner, the lubricant may either be introduced down through the stem of the plug or it may be introduced through the casing adjacent the top of the plug. Or the lubricant may be introduced adjacent the bottom of the plug. For the relief of excess lubricant pressures I may also use lubricant screws having check valves and passages leading from such check valves to the exterior of the lubricant receptacle, or lubricant screws having full and complete threads at one end and having passages of vertical ducts or chases cut into the threads of the screws extending from the full and complete threads to a 'point outside of the lubricant receptacle. In other forms the passages can be drilled in the screws. By varying the distance of the ends of these passages from the end of the screw, diil'erent predetermined pressures may be obtained in the pressure of the lubricant in the lubricant receptacle; I may also use a lubricant screw having a small number of screw threads at one end only with the rest of the lubricant screw reduced in diameter but unthreaded. Instead of straight, verticalchaseslcanalsousespiralgrooves or chases on the lubricant screws, the spirals beginning at a point above the end of the screw. 'Ihe passages in the lubricant screws lead to the exterior of the lubricant receptacle and the escape of lubricant can be seen by the person applying the prasure to the lubricant and so serves as a visual indication.

My invention can readily be understood by reference to the accomp nyin drawing, in which Fig. 1 representsa vertical section of a valve embodying by invention. of a type where the lubricant is introduced through the stem of the plug;

Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section taken on line 1-4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 represents a vertical elevation of the plug shown in Fig. 1 taken at right angles to the view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 represents an enlarged vertical section of the lubricant screw provided with a check valve;

Fig. 5 represents another iorm of nrv invention and shows an enlarged vertical section of a portion of a stem having a lubricant screw provided with an axial hole and a diametrically arranged hole near one end of the screw;

Fig. 6 represents another form of lubricant screw in a stem having a chase extending from adjacent one end of the screw;

Fig. 'i represents still another form of lubricant screw having a spiral chase; and

Fig. 8 shows the casing construction of a modifled form of valve where the lubricant is introduced in a: horizontal direction through the casing.

Referring now to the drawing, the reference character I. designates a hollow casing which in this case is provided with two screwed ends II. This casing II has a bottom opening closed by a screw cover M. The opening leads to the interior of the casing in which is located' the valve plug IS provided with an upwardly extending stem It. Around the lower part of the stem II the casing II is provided with a ring shaped portion II on the underside of which is a seating surface 22. The plug it has a cooperating seating shoulder 24 (see Fig. 3) adapted to press against the seating surface 22 on portion 10. Immediately adjacent the contact of these two surfaces, the top portion of the plug is cut away to form a recess or lubricant duct 28.

The stem it has a central receptacle 2! for the introduction of lubricant, which is provided with a pressure screw lll. Lubricant from the receptacle 18 through the passage 32 past the check valve 34 into the horizontal passage 30 of plug II which passage extends to the lubricant duct or channel 26. Check valve 34 prevents back pressure from forcing lubricant from the grooves back into the lubricant receptacle and then from the. valve housing as will be later pointed out in more detail.

In the embodiment of my invention here shown the plug Ii is formed with a circumferential lubricant duct 38 (see Fig. 3) near the bottom. Two veriical lubricant ducts ll arranged in diametrically opposite positions extend from the lubrlcantduct 38 up to the lubricant duct 2. Another pair of shorter vertical lubricant ducts I2 is arranged diametrically opposite to each other in the plug but which do not quite connect with the top and bottom lubricant ducts 28 and SI. Supplementing the lubricant ducts 41, recessesllareformedinthesasins(seel"is.2) and are so positioned that when the valve is either in extreme open or closed position, the ducts 42 are connected through the recesses N to the lubricant ducts 26. If desired, similar supplemental t.- in the casing may be provided at the bottom to connect the lubricant ducts 42 with the lubricant duct 38. The operation xand function of these grooves is more fully explained in Millikan Patent No. 1,915,068 where a similar arrangement is shown except that in that patent the vertical ducts are shown formed in the body and the casing and the are shown formed in the plug. Such reversal of parts is obvious and either arrangement may be emp oyed.

The bottom cover it screws into the casing II to form a tight flt therewith andqpreterably leaves a slight clearance between its upper face and the lower face of the plug it. This bottom coveris preferably formed with a; recess I, and supports a spring 46 which presses the plug upwardly so that seating shoulder 24 will be kept pressed against seating surface 22.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4 the pressure screw 30 has a check valve E. which opens into the vertical eway it in the plug which communicates with horizontal passageway 54. The passageway M is positioned above stem it of the plug. The check valve II is adapted to open when an excessive pressure is reached in the lubricant in the lubricant receptacle to permit escape of lubricant through eways I! and 54 where the lubricant may be seen. The check valve I provides a means of relieving excess pressure from the lubricant receptacle.

In Figs. 5, 6 and i I have shown other forms of lubricating screws which are used to relieve excmsive lubricant pressures. In .I'ig. 5 the pressure screw it has a horizontal hole ll through the screw near the lower end Communicating with this hole is a vertical axial, hole 80 of the screw and extending to its outer end. When the screw is rotated and screwed 15 valve 00 into horizontal then beyond this pressure the 11,171,590 down to exert pressure on the lubricant, the

threads on the lower end of the screw between hole II and the lower end oi the screw will hold a pressure up to a predetcrmi ed amount and t will leak along the threads into the holes II and I to give a visual indication that too great a pressure has been applied. There is, as usual, some clearance between the thread oi the lubricant screw and the threaded portion in the stem l8, and this clearance permits escape of lubricant when the lubricant is put under sufilcient pressure. By varying the position of horizontal hole 58 with respect to the end of the lubricating screw, greater or smaller pressures in the lubricant can be-obtained. In Fig. 6 the lubricating screw has a vertical chase or chases 62 cut through the threads from a point near the bottom of the screw. By varying the distance between the lower en of the chase or chases and the lower end of e screw, different pressures of lubricant can be obtained in the casing, that is, by varying the number of complete threads at the'lower end of the pressure screw, it is pos- "sible to obtain different predetermined pressures in the lubricant receptacle of the valve. In Fig.) instead of using a straight chase, I have showna spiral chase 84.

When the lubricant ducts and passages described are all filled with a thick. viscous lubricant and the parts assembled as shown in Fig. l, leakage at the head is prevented due to the fact that the plug l6. will be held with shoulder 24 pressed against the seating surface 22 of portion 2|Lthereby preventing the escape of lubricant from the lubricant duct 26. The reliei device around or in connection with the lubricant screw will normally function to relieve any pressure above that desired in the lubricant receptacle by releasing lubricant directly from the lubricant receptacle so that no damage will result or no lubricant is forced into the line. If the lubricant pressure in the lubricant receptacle builds up momentarily for any reason as by turning the lubricant screw too fast, the plug may be slightly depressed so that spring 46 is compressed with the result that there will be a space between seating shoulder 24 and seating surface I! and the excess lubricant will escape up around the stem. However, with my device this function is relatively unimportant and spring 4! may 'be made comparatively stifl to prevent head leaks.

In Fig. 8 the casing 66 is shown as having an integral side lug il in which is formed a lubricant. receptacle ll provided with a pressure screw II. This screw 12 is formed-with a small number of full threads 14 at the bottom instead of a' much larger number and an unthreaded' portion at 16. By having a number of full threads at the bottom. a predetermined pressure cannot be exceedcd. because the lubricant, 'if subjected, to undue pressure will travel along the threads and escape to the exterior of the lubricant receptacle to give a visual indication that too much pressure has been applied. By varying the number of threads the maximum pressure within the lubricant receptacle can bevaried. The pressure screw may be any one of the pressure screws shown in Figs. 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 instead of the one shown at ll. When pressure is exerted on the lubricant in the lubricant receptacle. the lubricant s through passage ill, a -est l2 irom which "the lubricant enters .1 a' circerentlai duct vs formed betweentlie plug and correrponding directly with the lubricant duct or channel 2! already described in cmnection with Fig. 1. In other respects the construction of the two forms of valve are identical exceptthat the plug will not have internal lubricant passages.

In the forms shown in the drawing there is a check valve in the passage beyond the lubricant receptacle. and such check valve prevents any back pressure such as is created, for example, by a momentary increase in the line pressure, from exerting a pressure on the lubricant in the lubricant receptacle and forcing it or blowing it out of the receptacle. The lubricant is forced past the check valve into the ducts but this check valve prevents return of the lubricant into the lubricant receptacle.

It is to be understood that the foregoing examples are vgiven only by way of illustration and that the same may be modified in many particulars without departing from the spirit 0 my invention.

What I claim is:

l. A pressure screw adapted for use in lubricated valves to exert pressure on a lubricant in a lubricant receptacle and including means for relieving excessive pressure of the lubricant and for conducting excess lubricant to the outside of the valve.

2. A pressure lubrlcatingscrew for use in lubricated valves for exerting pressure on a lubricant in the valves and'lnciuding complete threads at one end and a chase leading from said coniplete threads to a point near the other end of the lubricating screw.

3. A device provided with a lubricant receptacle, a lubricant passage leading from said receptacle and a check valve between said receptacle and said passage, and including a plurality of parts in threaded engagement. said parts being threaded one within the other and-movable relatively to each other to contract said lubricant receptacle and normally force lubricant therefrom past said check valve into said lubricant pas sage, said inner threaded part being provided with means for relieving excessive lubricant pressures directly from said lubricant receptacle before the lubricant moves past said check valve.

4. A device provided with a lubricant receptacle tacle and a check valve between said receptacle and said passage. and including a plurality of parts in threaded engagement, said parts being threaded one within the other and movable relatively to each other to contract said lubricant receptacle and normally force lubricant there from into said lubricant e under a desir able pressure to a part to be lubricated, said in-. ner threaded part having complete threads at its one end and achase leading from said complete threads .to a point near the other end thereof for releasing excessive pressures directly from said lubricant receptacle.

5. A device provided with a lubricant receptacle, a lubricant passage leading from said receptacle and a check valve between sadi receptacle and said passage, and including a plurality of parts in threaded engagement and beins threaded onewithih the other, said parts beingrelatively movable to normally force lubricant from said lubricant receptacle past said check valve Into said lubricant m e, one of said parts being provided with means for relievlm excessive lubricant pressures directly from said lubricant receptacle-before the lubricant moves past said k valve into said lubricant passage such means being so constructed and arranged Z8 receptacle exceeds a predetermined value, lubricant can escape from the system and give a visual indication that the desired lubricant pressure has been exceeded.

I 6. In a lubricating valve, a lubricant receptacle, a eleading from said receptacle to conduct lubricant to lubricate said valve, a check valve between said receptacle and said passage, a screw threaded to enter said receptacle so arranged that if said screw is screwed inwardly, the area of said receptacle will be contracted to build up a lubricant pressure in said receptacle normally to lorce lubricant from said lubricant chamber past said check valve intosald lubricant passage, and means associated with said receptacle for relieving excess lubricantpressure directly from said receptacle beiore the lubricant moves past said check valve. such means being so constructed and arranged that when the lubricant pressure in the receptacle exceeds a predetermined value, lubricant can escape from the system to give a visual indication that the desired lubricant pressure in the receptacle has been exceeded.

7. A structure as specified in claim 6 in which the said means for relieving excess lubricant pressure is associated with the said screw which is used for developing lubricant pressure.

5. A structure as specified in claim 6, in which the said means for reducing excess lubricant pres- OIRTIPIOA'I'E OF CORRECTION.

Patent llo. 2,171,590.

that when the lubricant pressure in the lubricant sure comprises a passage formed by reducing a portion of the said screw used for developing the lubricant pressure so that lubricant can escape along the threads of said screw into such passage.

9. In a lubricated valve, a lubricant receptacle, means to build up lubricant pressure in said lubricant receptacle, a valve plug and body having lubricant channels for the lubrication of the valve, means to conduct lubricant under pressure from the lubricant receptacle into the lubricant channels of the valve vplug andbody, means to prevent the return of the lubricant under pressure after it has passed into the lubricant channels of the valve plug and body, and means to release lubricant pressure exceeding a predetermined point directly from the lubricant receptacle in which the lubricant pressure is built up.

10. In a lubricated valve, a lubricant receptacle, a valve plug and body having lubricant channels, a passageway connecting said lubricant receptacle and said lubricant channels, means to prevent the return of lubricant under pressure after it has passed into the lubricant channels of the valve plug and body, means to build up lubricant pressure in the lubricant receptacle and means in the lubricant receptacle to release lubricant pressure directly from the lubricant receptacle when the lubricant pressure in the lubricant receptacle exceeds a predetermined point.

FOSTER MIILIKEN.

September 5, 19 9.

FOSTER HIILIKBR. -It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification (Seal) of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follow" Page 2, first 001m, line 29, tor the v'uord Jot" read or; line M for "by" read my; page 5, second column, line 119, claim ii, strike outthe syllable "tack" and insort. instead and aiubricant passage leading trtmsaidroceptacle; line 51;,

claim 5,ro1- mu" read said; and that the aaid'hotter's Patent should be read with ibis correction therein. that the can. my conforuto the record areas can in use Patent-Office. g

Sigrid and sealed this rd day or October, a. n. 19 9'.

may van Ar-dale, Acting Omissions:- of Patents.

receptacle exceeds a predetermined value, lubricant can escape from the system and give a visual indication that the desired lubricant pressure has been exceeded.

I 6. In a lubricating valve, a lubricant receptacle, a eleading from said receptacle to conduct lubricant to lubricate said valve, a check valve between said receptacle and said passage, a screw threaded to enter said receptacle so arranged that if said screw is screwed inwardly, the area of said receptacle will be contracted to build up a lubricant pressure in said receptacle normally to lorce lubricant from said lubricant chamber past said check valve intosald lubricant passage, and means associated with said receptacle for relieving excess lubricantpressure directly from said receptacle beiore the lubricant moves past said check valve. such means being so constructed and arranged that when the lubricant pressure in the receptacle exceeds a predetermined value, lubricant can escape from the system to give a visual indication that the desired lubricant pressure in the receptacle has been exceeded.

7. A structure as specified in claim 6 in which the said means for relieving excess lubricant pressure is associated with the said screw which is used for developing lubricant pressure.

5. A structure as specified in claim 6, in which the said means for reducing excess lubricant pres- OIRTIPIOA'I'E OF CORRECTION.

Patent llo. 2,171,590.

that when the lubricant pressure in the lubricant sure comprises a passage formed by reducing a portion of the said screw used for developing the lubricant pressure so that lubricant can escape along the threads of said screw into such passage.

9. In a lubricated valve, a lubricant receptacle, means to build up lubricant pressure in said lubricant receptacle, a valve plug and body having lubricant channels for the lubrication of the valve, means to conduct lubricant under pressure from the lubricant receptacle into the lubricant channels of the valve vplug andbody, means to prevent the return of the lubricant under pressure after it has passed into the lubricant channels of the valve plug and body, and means to release lubricant pressure exceeding a predetermined point directly from the lubricant receptacle in which the lubricant pressure is built up.

10. In a lubricated valve, a lubricant receptacle, a valve plug and body having lubricant channels, a passageway connecting said lubricant receptacle and said lubricant channels, means to prevent the return of lubricant under pressure after it has passed into the lubricant channels of the valve plug and body, means to build up lubricant pressure in the lubricant receptacle and means in the lubricant receptacle to release lubricant pressure directly from the lubricant receptacle when the lubricant pressure in the lubricant receptacle exceeds a predetermined point.

FOSTER MIILIKEN.

September 5, 19 9.

FOSTER HIILIKBR. -It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification (Seal) of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follow" Page 2, first 001m, line 29, tor the v'uord Jot" read or; line M for "by" read my; page 5, second column, line 119, claim ii, strike outthe syllable "tack" and insort. instead and aiubricant passage leading trtmsaidroceptacle; line 51;,

claim 5,ro1- mu" read said; and that the aaid'hotter's Patent should be read with ibis correction therein. that the can. my conforuto the record areas can in use Patent-Office. g

Sigrid and sealed this rd day or October, a. n. 19 9'.

may van Ar-dale, Acting Omissions:- of Patents. 

